Analog-to-digital conversion techniques are used in a wide variety of applications. Communications and sensing devices frequently use analog-to-digital conversion to convert an analog signal to a digital signal. High speed analog-to-digital conversion is utilized in radio frequency (RF) receivers used in military, commercial and consumer applications. Products that utilize analog-to-digital signal conversion include, but are not limited to: electronic intelligence (ELINT) receivers, cell phones, wireless local area components, radars (e.g., synthetic aperture radar (SAR)), sensors, high frequency (e.g., 100 megahertz (MHz) and multi-Giga Hertz (GHZ)) systems, etc.
Optical or photonic analog-to-digital converters (pADC) can reduce the size, weight, and power requirements of the systems in which they are employed. The pADC generally includes at least one electronic analog-to-digital converter (eADC). The eADC is generally a high resolution ADC which adds to the size, weight and power usage of the pADC.
Accordingly, there is a need for an analog-to-digital conversion system and method configured for reduced size, cost, weight and/or power consumption. Further still, there is a need for an improved photonic analog-to-digital converter (pADC) system and method. Yet further, there is a need for an ADC with optimized quantization. Still further there is a need for a pADC that does not require a high resolution eADC. There is further a need for a pADC system and method that is less susceptible to optical clock amplitude changes. There is further a need for pADCs that uses one or more low resolution eADCs.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.